Talking of (possibly) unnecessary complication, I've always wondered what the advantage of a cafetière is over a simple tea/coffee strainer?
Brewing coffee?
- Thread starter Northsky
- Start date
-
BushMoot: Come along to the amazing Summer Moot 31st July - 5th August (extended Moot : 27th July - 8th August), a festival of bushcrafting and camping in a beautiful woodland PLEASE CLICK HERE for more information.
Yep, same thing.
@Pattree the Aeropress is pretty much just a more compact, lightweight and easier to clean/maintain version of a French press for making an individual cup of coffee, but also much more sturdy so it's quite useful if you're carrying something in the field.
My french press for field use is the Snow Peak titanium (the front middle one in my photo on page 1, post #18.
An aeropress is a bit different to a french press but does work in a similar fashion.
A french press has no pressure to it whereas an aeropress has some, though not as much as an espresso maker. You can vary how you brew with an aeropress to suit your taste where a french press it just is.
A french press definitely suits if you're making multiple cups, though AP have brought a large model - I've not tried it so no idea if it still works at higher volumes.
I'm surprised that you find the moka easier than the aeropress - I think it's easy to get a decent cup of coffee from an aeropress where the moka needs to be made with more care to not be made wrong.
The aeropress is something that seems to polarise people like a apple v android. I have no skin in the game and my coffee works for me which is all that really matters. If anyone can get what they want, even instant, then that works for me!
Yea, I have a Bialetti moka pot so I know for a fact that it is not so easy to get good coffee with it.
Stove can not be too hot or you burn the coffee. And the water can´t go too fast through the grinds, needs a minute or two. So it is a bit fiddling and takes a learning curve before you master it.
Honestly I just chucked it on some coals on the fire and waited a couple of mins until all the water had come through the top, and it was delightful. Didn't seem to require too much fuss, although I know some people are especially particular about the minutae of brewing details so perhaps that adds some complexity.
I’m sorry to disagree with you @Herman30 but:
A Bialetti makes a very consistent product.
1. The quantities of ground coffee and of water are fixed. OK so you can underfull it or pack it tight but neither is the standard operation. That is just the normal learning process - do what works for you.
2. The water feeds up through the Bialetti when it boils. That means that regardless of how hot or not your fire/stove is, nothing happens until the water in the bottom section boils. Only then does it do its thing. (I suppose altitude will affect this but that applies to any coffee maker)
3. Once made, the coffee is well clear of the stove and again remains unaffected whatever it is doing. You are going to remove it as soon as It hisses to avoid boiling it dry anyway.
It is a very consistent process.
The trick is to find beans and the grind that suit you and your Bialetti.
4. If it’s good enough for Montalbano it’s good enough for me
The simplest way to make coffee is to put the ground coffee in the bottom of a jug, tip on the boiling water, stir, wait for it to settle and pour your Jo.
It’s the simplest and if that suits you then good for you.
Simplest isn’t always the easiest.
The various devices do make it easier. Which one is up to you but whichever you choose you are going to have to learn how to use it just like any other tool.
I keep a fully cook-kitted out Navara with a 'kitchen' in the side of the canopy. I keep a Bialetti there permanently. There's no way I could keep a glass cafetière there as it would be shaken and shivered to pieces very soon...French press.
I skip #2 and start from #3.
Taylor’s of Harrogate, their coffee bags, no6 are excellent when out and about and so easy to use , no fuss!
I've tried a coffee bag once after someone recommended them. Seemed the perfect simple solution. It was not good.
What's your brewing process if I want to try again?
Unlike a Bialetti, Montalbano is no longer available. I searched the BBC sounds archives (or whatever it's called) and there's no Montalbano to be found! I am saddened, as there were still a few episodes I haven't yet seen.I’m sorry to disagree with you @Herman30 but:
A Bialetti makes a very consistent product.
1. The quantities of ground coffee and of water are fixed. OK so you can underfull it or pack it tight but neither is the standard operation. That is just the normal learning process - do what works for you.
2. The water feeds up through the Bialetti when it boils. That means that regardless of how hot or not your fire/stove is, nothing happens until the water in the bottom section boils. Only then does it do its thing. (I suppose altitude will affect this but that applies to any coffee maker)
3. Once made, the coffee is well clear of the stove and again remains unaffected whatever it is doing. You are going to remove it as soon as It hisses to avoid boiling it dry anyway.
It is a very consistent process.
The trick is to find beans and the grind that suit you and your Bialetti.
4. If it’s good enough for Montalbano it’s good enough for me
The simplest way to make coffee is to put the ground coffee in the bottom of a jug, tip on the boiling water, stir, wait for it to settle and pour your Jo.
It’s the simplest and if that suits you then good for you.
Simplest isn’t always the easiest.
The various devices do make it easier. Which one is up to you but whichever you choose you are going to have to learn how to use it just like any other tool.
I love my aeropress. Currently sat on a camp site in Brittany enjoying a quiet morning coffee. At home I use a Hario v60 pour over as it's easier to make more than one cup at a time (tricky to do with aeropress. I believe they do an XL one now too though to fix that)
Attachments
This guy isn’t selling the Aeropress very well - I know you guys don’t faff like this
but
Does it use a disposable filter every time? Is there a reusable version of the filter(as there is for my domestic filter machine.)?
Does anyone besides Aeropress sell the filters?
Do you have to rinse the paper filter each time? Quote - “to remove the papery taste.”
I just know that it wouldn’t be so popular if it worked like the video so what’s the sensible way?
This guy isn’t selling the Aeropress very well - I know you guys don’t faff like this
but
Does it use a disposable filter every time? Is there a reusable version of the filter(as there is for my domestic filter machine.)?
Does anyone besides Aeropress sell the filters?
Do you have to rinse the paper filter each time? Quote - “to remove the papery taste.”
I just know that it wouldn’t be so popular if it worked like the video so what’s the sensible way?
You can get a metal mesh filter, which I’d recommend if choosing the Aeropress.
Realistically you stand it upside down, put coffee in, put water in, put the lid/filter on, wait a couple of minutes, flip it over onto your cup and push the plunger down.
Not that difficult, but not my personal preference, and couldn’t distinguish the resulting coffee from that made in a french press.
The bags are not the cheapest but they are to me the best, just half fill an army metal mug and just let it steep for a few minutes and remove the bag. There are different strengths so higher the number relates to strength but still not expresso though, can’t have everything!
